


All Too Well

by Sartorelo



Category: Taylor Swift (Musician)
Genre: College AU, F/F, Fluff and Angst, I didnt put some tags bc i didnt wanted spoilers but take care while reading, No Smut, homophobia mention, i hope yall like it, song mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 11:18:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12703944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sartorelo/pseuds/Sartorelo
Summary: Maybe that was what meant love at first sight.





	All Too Well

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for any grammar issues xx. Hope you like it. (Also posted on Wattpad)

The piano melody fluttered its way to Karlie ears, making the young woman stop on her tracks, interrupting the tour throught UNI that she was attending. They did not even hesitated before lefting her behind, though she did not noticed that at the moment.   
She crossed the hall to the glass wall that surrounded the Instruments Room, the place were the song came from, and could see the artist behind it, thought the other girl didn’t realised it, too busy at what she was doing.   
Karlie thought that was it– she marvelously played the piano, and would be doing only that for a couple minutes more,– but was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't the case. Seconds after she had noticed the tune, it became a background sound as the singers voice emerged. The whole thing could not be described in pieces, for one could not notice every fragment of the song alone– she could not explain how the singers vocals quivered around the words with heartwrenching sadness, nor the shades of tragedy that stained the lyrics, and Karlie was too vidrated by it to try to ruin the moment by logically analize it.   
When it ended, she still felt intoxicated by the glumness the song provided, and stood there, stagnant, trying to understand what had just happened– the way she felt drawn to the ballad, enough to ignore the task she was currently attending to– but before she could get to any sort of conclusion, the singer raised her eyes from the keys, and instantly locked them into Karlie's.   
And that was the first time she saw Taylor Swift. 

Three weeks later, Karlie was already accommodated on campus, and was just getting the hang of her schedule; that thursday, for instance, the Computer Science class was being offered a Comunication Course, which implied that it was mandatory of every studant to attend an english class once a week. And there she was when she saw her for the second time.   
The teachers topic of discussion had been of Romeo and Juliet. The class was divided; there was those who saw it as romantic tragedy and those who saw it as satire, but none of them was really into that discussion. It was still a boring english class about a really old book, after all.  
Except for two blonde students, each one at opposite sides of class:  
"Of course it is a joke!"  
"Um, only it isn't? Shakespeare obviously wanted to portray the star-crossed love--"  
"If you look at the historical context, it is clearly as day that he was making fun of the current plays of the time, indicated by--"  
"Lovers, which we can see by how ardently they were for ea--"  
They traded arguments as a tennis match, which was fascinating to watch, but with none of them withdrawing, it leaded nowhere. The class ended, and Karlie walked towards the girl while she was getting ready to leave.   
"I am right, and I can prove you how." She said, smirking.   
"Really?" Taylor raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "How so?"  
"Are you free tomorrow night?"  
Taylor pressed her lips together for a moment, like she was thinking.   
"You don't even know my name and is calling me on a date?" Her voice wasn't mad, but quite amused.   
"You took attendance, Taylor." Karlie did not replied to the second part. She still had to understand why she felt so compelled towards Taylor and was afraid of letting it show.   
"Tomorrow night, then." Taylor seemed like she was about to ask something, but changed her mind. "My room is the 1B." She placed the backpack on her shoulders and left, without turning back, but Karlie could hear her giggle as she left the class.   
The next night, there she was, about to knock the door with the 1B sign. She noticed the line on the B had been painted, which made it look kind like a 3. Then, before fear made her hesitate, she ringed the bell.   
"I'm going!" Taylor screamed at the other side of the door. When she opened it...  
Taylor looked stunning, with her long blond hair pulled to the side and a dress with flower patterns, and a red, bright lipstick.   
"You look beautiful." Karlie complimented. Taylor blushed so slightly, her eyes going around Karlie's own outfit skinny black jeans, a white tee and an old leather jacket --, before speaking.   
"Thank you... You look gorgeous,..–  
"Karlie. I don't believe we were properly introduced before."   
"Yeah, um, we weren't."  
Karlie did not took long to notice that Taylor was a lot less talkative than in class, and took another moment to realise why: she was nervous.   
She was planning to change that by the end of the night.   
They went out. Karlie knew a great burguer spot that also served Vegetarian food, and on the way, they chatted. It started with the book, and that was enough to break the ice before the subjects went all around the place. They spoke about the UNI and then about what they wanted to do at first, then going on to their childhoods and even dreams, going back and forth and never shutting up. The girls got along instantly, and Karlie could feel her heart warm when she realised that.   
Then, when they arrived at the restaurant and sat down, Taylor's expression got a bit more serious, before saying:  
"The other day was you who saw me at the piano, right?"  
"Yes,..." she explained how the tour was going arround those classes and then that she decided to stop and listen by "I just couldn't turn away. Are you mad at me?"  
Taylor didn't looked mad at all, and she shook her head 'no'.   
"Flattered, actually... Even if I wasn't expecting anyone to hear that."  
"Which song was, actually? I was surprised that I didn't knew."  
And Taylor proceed to tell that, even though she was going to get an english major, her real passion was being a songwriter. The way she spoke about it, moving her hands and with her eyes glistening and such an honest expression of joy in her face made Karlie understand that that was a thing close to the girls heart, which made her feel honored that she was getting to see that side of the young woman once more.   
"I would love to hear you again anytime, you know."  
"Maybe I just should made a record for you, then." She joked.   
And sometimes, they'd flirt.   
"But really, you can play for me anytime"  
"I will see what I can do about you, Mrs. Kloss" and Taylor grinned.   
And they were awful at it, yet, quite adorable.   
Overall, it was a charming evening, and by the end of it, when they walked to Taylor's place, they were quieter than before, exchanging glances and shy smiles, before finally, each others phones.   
When they were at her door, Karlie did not had a doubt about what she wanted to do. Once again swallowing her fears, she gave a step close to Taylor, that didn't moved away. She got closer, and their eyes locked for an instant, before the green ones dropping to the red lips.   
Karlie briefly touched them with her own, one of her hands going to Taylor's while hers pulled the taller by the collar.  
The kiss could have got deeper, but Karlie ended it far too soon, and she had a reason why.   
"Good night, Miss Swift. I hope I see you soon."  
She was a tease.   
◇

Karlie was at class, the day after, when she received a message.   
"I will choose our next date."  
Taylor, apparently, wasn't stepping on egg shells... And Karlie liked it. Ignoring the teacher and sinking on her chair, she replied:  
"Who told you I would be available?"  
"I have my sources." Taylor joked. And then, "Would you preffer a proper invitation?" which created a silly smile on Karlie's face, because she could picture Taylor I-grow-up-at-a-christmas-tree-farm Swift trying to provoke Karlie just to give up a couple of messages later. Freaking adorable, she was.   
Karlie sended a few laughing emojis and said "Ok, when? And where??"  
Taylor took a few minutes to write down her reply, which made Karlie look up at the board: what was empty two seconds ago, now was filled all over the place... Fuck.   
Tooking her pen, she started to write that down.   
Her phone buzzed when she was halfway throught it.   
"I have to finish the biggest essay of my life..." Karlie recalled the blue eyed girl speaking about it. "So tomorrow? Same time? At 1B."  
Karlie smiled again to the phone. With one hand, she typed:  
"Sure. See you then, darling." and sended a kiss emoji.   
Their second date was at Taylor's place. She had a room all to herself because it had a issue with the pipes, but she had learned to ignore it, she told Karlie, while touring her throught the small apartment. She had a small couch at where should be a living room and a stereo, but no TV, and her room had shelfs with books, cd's and even a few vinyls, carefully organized. Karlie also noticed a black guitar at the corner of the room.   
They got back to the kitchen– it was small, which made them close all the time, but none of them seemed to mind it.   
"So,... I was thinking of cooking us dinner. What do you think?" Taylor asked, hesitantly. Karlie raised her sleeves to her elbow.   
"What are we doing?"  
Taylor chuckled lightly, not in a mocking way... Just surprised.   
"Do you cook?"  
"I live with three sisters, Tay. Do you really think I would let them starve?"  
Taylor giggled.   
"Yeah, you get a point."  
Their chemistry extended to the kitchen as well, apparently. They played some music and started working. Both did not spoke a lot, focused on their tasks, thought sometimes they would glance at each other and smile softly, taking long seconds before turning away.   
What they were doing was pasta, and a cinnamon pie. So, when Taylor went to check the oven, Karlie stepped closer and hugged her from behind. Taylor inhaled in surprise, but soon close her eyes and let herself fall into Karlies arms, while she kissed the top of her head.  
Their third date was also equally cute; Karlie saw that Taylor mentioned that there was a movie coming out that Taylor really wanted to see, and she took her there. And, at the dark, Karlie clutched her hand, and Taylor hold back, not letting go till the credits started playing.   
The fourth date was at Karlie's. She had a roommate, but she wasn't there at the time, had going to see her boyfriend. The thing was, Karlie's place was at the last floor of her building, so she could take Taylor to the rooftop, and so she did. They sat by the cold concrete, the wind messing up their hair and kisses messing up their lipstick, and maybe more could have happened, but Karlie scratched her arm against the concrete:  
"Ahn, ouch, I should have thought about it."  
Taylor giggled and Karlie did too. It was impossible not to be moved with whatever Taylor did. When she smiled, Karlie wanted to smile back, and her laugh... Was ethereal. It was so frustrating someone be so incredible, it got her mad, only because she could not fathom how one person could make her so insanely happy in so little time.   
"You were planning this all the time?"  
Karlie laughed at that.   
"C'mon, that was a great plan."  
"Then you really should have thought about the matress. I hope it's here... Next time." And the way Taylor looked at her while saying that made Karlie melt.   
Their seventh date was once again at Taylor's place. She got her laptop and they watched friends–Taylor thought it was a absurd that Karlie had never watched it – clapping at the opening song, laying side by side with their legs tangled down the covers and Taylors head on Karlie's shoulder, her arm going around Taylor.   
"I think I should go?" Karlie asked. She could feel Taylor's fingertips carressing her chest, lightly.   
"I think you should stay." the blue eyes met the green, and another smile was born at Karlie's face, which Taylor mirrored with her own.   
"Your wish is my command, mademoiselle." Karlie joked, and Taylor laughed.   
After that night, they would start sleeping at each others place much more frequently. There were days, even, where they would go straight after class to each other's place, and in one of them, Karlie was expecting Taylor with a surprise behind her back.   
Taylor took a moment to realise it. She got there and hugged Karlie, as usual, giving her a soft peck on the lips that quickly escalated, but when Karlies arms didn't moved, she stepped away, an interrogation look on her face.   
"What happened?"  
"I was going throught a few shops and I thought of you." she showed the small box she was holding. Taylor looked amazed, her eyes raising up to meet Karlie's. "Open it."   
Taylor did. There layed two identical necklaces with the eternity symbol in them, and the tallest girl watched the other one lose her breath at the sight.   
"They are beautiful. It's... For us?"  
Karlie nodded.   
"I know how break is coming and how you are going to be at your parents and... I thought we should have something to don't forget about each other." Karlie was nervous. They didn't had spoke about relationships. They didn't labeled whatever was going on between them.   
"I think that is a great idea. Could you help me with mine?" She pulled her hair to the side. Karlie put the box on her hands and took one of the necklaces, softly clicking it around her neck. "Now, let me help you." Taylor said, and Karlie sat down at her couch so Taylor could do it without struggle. "But you know... It would be impossible for me to forget about you, sunshine. And..."  
"And?" Karlie demanded. She was still a little nervous.   
"If you would like, we could see each other during break."  
And Karlie sighed in relief, before replying:  
"I think you would really get along with my sisters."  
◇  
On another night, at Taylor's place, they are both awake. It may be two AM or later, but still was that time of night were the air gets colder and everything is really, really quiet.   
Karlie shattered the silence with one single phrase.   
"You are my best friend."  
Taylor did not replied with words, but hold Karlies hand against her cheek and smiled.   
And they both knew.   
The next day, Karlie got a message from Taylor.   
"My place. Whenever you can."  
And it could have been just an ordinary text, if wasn't for the fact that Taylor also sended an emoji. She didn't used to send them before they met, so it gave Karlie a few theories.   
It had been just a simple sunshine, though.   
So, when she finished typing a program and it runned okay, Karlie got her things and went to the familiar 13.   
She opened the door without knocking. And she lost her breath.  
Because Taylor was there, but not only that. The smell of cookies spreaded around, and the girl was holding the biggest bouquet Karlie had ever seen.   
"Karlie..."  
"Yes, Tay?"  
Taylor walked to her and gave her the flowers.   
"I want to tell you something." Karlie knew Taylor too well. She knew that when she used small phrases, she was actually trying to buy herself time to think of the bigger ones.   
"I hope it is important." Taylor chuckled a little at the way Karlie spoke, which didn't bothered her at all.   
"It is." Her eyes got that intensity again. "Karlie, do you know why I call you sunshine?" It was a rethorical question, so Karlie waited in silence. "Because you are the star that glows in my life. The sun of my days and the stars in my darkest nights. Your light reached everything around me. When I told you I couldn't forget you, it is because I can't even imagine my life like it was before. I was so tired of being broken, and you showed me only happiness, all this time. I don't think I'll ever want to live in that darkness again, and that is why I ask you... Karlie, would you give me the honor of being my girlfriend?"  
Karlie got really emotional really quickly. Her heart pumped against her ribcages like a confined bird, and she gave a step closer and hugged Taylor, drowing her face on Taylor's hair, the emotion being so deep it filled her throat for a few minutes.   
"Of course, baby, of course..." She finally said, stepping away to realise her own face was wet with tears, only to see Taylor blue eyes glistening the same way as hers. "The priviledge is all mine."  
She would never forget the expression of Taylor’s face – the purest kind of joy that Karlie didn’t believed anyone else could have – at that moment.   
◇  
Being Taylor’s girlfriend was everything she could ask for. Lots of hugs, hand holding, laughs and the occasional passionate discussion about classical books, movies and everything around them.   
On a saturday, they were once again at the rooftop. Karlie had placed a matress and a few pillows there, and a beautiful sunset painted both of the girls, who were laying down, looking at their intertwined hands with soft smiles.   
"I just realised..." Taylor said, softly.   
"What?"  
"I never sa--, " she stopped herself and changed the phrase "I never played any of my songs to you, actually. The time you caught me doesn't count." Karlie's mind got back to that day. How angelic her girl sounded, and how hypnotized she had got.   
"Would you give me the honor?" Conveniently, Taylor had brought the guitar there a few days prior, so she grabbed it and sat down. Karlie layed by her side, so she could see Taylor better, resting her head on her own hand.   
Taylor started to play, another rythim Karlie did not knew. She introduced:  
"I started writing this song after our first date... And finished it a couple weeks ago. It is called Enchanted."  
Taylors voice once more amazed Karlie. The way she would create a whole story with her words and how it wasn't any story, but theirs, made Karlie listen to it very intensely. By the end, Karlie had sat down, holding her hands against her chest. When the melody came to an end, Taylor asked what she had thought of it. And Karlies words jumped out of her mouth before she could avoid it.   
"I love you so much."  
Taylors eyes widened, and she put the guitar aside to jump into Karlies arms.   
"I love you too, sunshine."  
When the summer break arrives, they're still in love, so in love. They spent afternoons studying together and nights loving each other and it simply is the best routine any of them has ever hoped for.   
So, it comes with no surprise when Karlie actually introduces Taylor to her family, and no surprise when she got along with everyone. And when it is Taylor's turn to introduce her family, it is exactly what Karlie expected: the childhood room, the smell of fresh cookies and incredibly bad puns from her dad that made everyone laugh.   
There was a moment where Karlie had been by the front yard talking with Scott and watching Andrea and Taylor clean up the garden, where he spoke with the most stern tone Karlie had ever heard from anyone. It reminded a little of Taylor, the intensity that demanded respect without the need to scream or shout:  
"As a father, everything I could ever wish for my daughter was to see her happy. When she came out to me and her mother, we... I, I thought all chances off happiness were taken away from my child, because the world is so harder for those who are gay and that kind of stuff. But... I have never seen her happier, and I am glad I was wrong." Karlie didn't know what to say, but he hadn't finished. "I am thankful she found someone as you, Karlie. I really am."  
"I... I am very honored to hear thar, Mrs. Swift."  
"At this point, I think it is okay if you call me Scott."  
And they laughed.   
Another highpoint of the trip was just being in the car. Taylor would drive and the stereo would play every kind of song... And both of them would sing it at all their lungs, and Karlie, at some moments, woukd just shut up and look at Taylor, asking herself how she could been so lucky to have her.   
When they got back, it was in a silent agreement that they acted upon. For they had been away from each other the last weeks, Karlie dropped all the bags at the apartament and pushed Taylor to the couch, getting on top of her. They kissed passionately while Karlie was taking Taylor's shirt off. When that piece was laying on the floor, Karlies hands went to Taylors waist, carressing her stomach and...  
Taylor flinched.   
Alarmed, Karlie gave her distance, while still on top of her.   
"Did I hurt you, love?"  
"A bit. My stomach is a little weird these days, I guess." Karlie got her hand back to where it was, close to the abdomen area. Taylor flinched again, and, that time, Karlie felt a hard bump.   
"Taylor, since when are you having this?"  
"I think it appeared two days after we went out." So it was there for almost a month. Karlie would not waste their time fighting with Taylor about why she had not spoke about it before, preffering to jump off the couch and hand the other girl her shirt.   
"Dress up. We are going to see a doctor."  
"Now you are sounding like my mom, Karlie. " Taylor chuckled, but stopped when she saw the seriousness at Karlies face. "Sorry, babe. If I knew you would flip out like this I would have told you."   
Karlie did not said anything. She had a really bad feeling about it and did not wanted Taylor to realise (which was quite impossible, because Taylor knew her too well, so she just stayed in silence). So she got the car keys and Karlie drived to the hospital while making a phonecall, because she had a childhood friend who's mother was a doctor, and she could ask for a few favours.   
When they got to the hospital, the doctor made a few questions about Taylors symptoms* and her expression was... Was the one Karlie had only seen on doctors in movies and stuff.   
She asked for a few exams to be made and all she said was:  
"You were right in calling me." And Karlie did not knew what to think about it.   
Hours later, the car trip back to college was heavily silent. Taylor had her head against the window, looking at the lights of the traffic. Karlie tried to focus only on the present, but the words of the doctor echoed throught her mind as, she probably believed, Taylor could be remembering as well. Her nails dig into the steering wheel as the last hours got back to Karlie. More specifically, the moment where the doctor came with the results.   
When that happened, the first thing the doctor did was ask Taylor if she wanted to hear that alone. The blonde girl shaked her head ‘no’ and her hand found Karlie’s, grasping it so tightly it cut the blood circulation, but the other one did not minded. She recalled how those heavenly blue eyes went blank, staring at the at the end of the room in a numb kind of shock, and how Karlie holded back her own emotions. She had to be strong, for Taylor.   
"What, from the few exams we made, we are sure you developed is called a lymphoma." The doctor had started speaking. She then proceed to speak about treatments and other exams that could be made in order to identify the exact kind of tumor the girl had, but both of them knew it didn't had a cure.   
They arrived and Karlie sat at the couch while Taylor went to grab her phone and call her parents. She looked over at the walls, to the hanged paintings she had, to all the little details of things Taylor had put onto this world and her heart crumbled. Karlie had never met anyone so full of life, love and joy before.   
She could not believe Taylor was getting to be taken away from her.   
At some point, Karlie felt the weight of Taylor sitting by her side and pulled the young woman onto her lap. Taylor rested her head on the curve of Karlie’s neck and she soon felt the tears as Taylor sobbed against skin, clenching onto Karlie as if she could never leave that moment.   
Karlie kissed the top of her head and hugged her fondly. Maybe, if they both hold to each other hard enough, maybe she wouldn't go away.   
They stood like that until the sun was rising. Their bones were sore from staying at the same position for so long, none of them minded that.   
"I... Karlie, my life was being so good. I am thriving at college, I am writing more than ever... I had so much planned for my life, so much," Taylors voice was like a cold burn, feverishly cold and stern, but acutely emotional, tainted with sadness. "and this is happening with me. I... I don't wanna die, sunshine. I don't want to die." Their eyes met just as her voice broke. Karlie swallowed dry. If she could, she would save her. If she could, she would put out all her health into Taylor. She would trade places with her in a heartbeat.   
Thought she couldn't. All she managed to do was kiss her on the lips, the act tasting like the tears that crossed their cheeks.   
"I love you." And Taylor understood. Love was all Karlie could give her.  
◇  
When the exams were finished, they found out that Taylor had been misdiagnosed. What she had wasn't a lymphoma, but desmoplastic small-round-cell tumour, which was agressive and made treatment that much more hard. But Karlie stood. Throught chemo and throught hell, Karlie promised she would never leave Taylor.   
And she kept her word.   
They barely slept. Their nights were spend in whispers and screams of frustration. One time, they broke every single plate Taylor had. But mostly, they spended laying at their sides on the bed, endelessly staring at each other and talking; first, about the simpliest things, but at the end of the night, they would both end mingled together, crying at each other arms at how cruel was the universe, for taking them away from each other.   
"I am going to miss you, Karlie."  
Treatment lasted two months and half. Karlie had been by her side when the light in her blue eyes became dull, and at the right moment when it faded away. She had stood there, in shock and denial, veemently crying about how unfair it was.   
About how little time they had.   
◇  
She didn't knew what to think at her way to the graveyard, which resulted in everything flooding her head at once. The nights crying, hating the only future they had and grieving the one they would never get to share, the aisle they would never walk, the moments they would never be able to cherish* because they had been stolen from them. Every phrase Taylor had said, every desire and fear, the inflex on her voice and the way it ringed when she laughed. All of that and more she was thinking while Scott approached her, and he said something she never listened: all her focus was onto the grave carved with her lovers name. Karlie could not stop crying and she wondered if one day she would, when she had promised herself never forget about every little joy Taylor had brought.   
She hoped she had said enough times how much Taylor mattered to her. How in love Taylor made her.   
Karlie tried to push the tears away with the sleeves of her black dress, to no avail: her mind got even more stuck on the past; when their eyes locked the first time they saw each other and how hypnotized Karlie got... Maybe that was what meant love at first sight. Maybe that is why Taylor so fiercely stood up to Romeo and Juliet.   
Maybe. Karlie would never know for sure.   
The melody of that first day returned to her mind. Karlie realised that no matter how great was the pain Taylors absence brought her, she would never regret Taylor. On the contrary... She would remember her all too well.


End file.
